More than 5,600 sites across Taiwan have been designated as stations to supply daily necessities in case of a crisis, a Ministry of National Defense official said yesterday, adding that there is also the possibility of cooperation with convenience stores and supermarkets.
When a crisis occurs, the government would do its utmost to maintain stability in people’s livelihoods and the economy, and provide essential goods to everyone through a comprehensive rationing system, All-out Defense Mobilization Agency Director Shen Wei-chih (沈威志) told a news conference where the updated civil defense handbook was introduced.
The main goal of whole-of-society defense resilience is to maintain the government’s normal operations during a crisis, ensuring that daily life continues as usual, Shen said.
Photo: Lo Pei-de, Taipei Times
The government planned 5,668 stations across Taiwan, he said.
The stations would be crucial for people’s livelihoods in case of an emergency, he said, adding that they would stock rice, cooking oil, salt, gas and infant formula among others.
Ministry of Economic Affairs official Wang Chi-ming (王啟明) said that his ministry plans to combine private-sector efforts, and hopes to take advantage of widespread convenience stores and supermarkets to conduct rationing operations.
It has already made preliminary contact with PX Mart, Wang said.
Lieutenant General Huang Wen-chi (黃文啟), head of the Department of Strategic Planning, said that in view of China’s increasing maritime blockade capabilities, it is imperative to enhance the stockpile of wartime supplies.
Minister of National Defense Wellington Koo (顧立雄) has instructed that wartime supply stockpiles be increased from 30 days of rations to 120 days to improve combat readiness, Huang said.
“Our priority [wartime supply] is fuel and drinking water,” Huang said.
Other items such as spare parts, ammunition and rations, require special storage conditions, so portions of a special budget would be allocated to building storage facilities and other infrastructure, he said.
The supply stockpiles would be continuously reviewed and adjusted to maintain sustained combat capability, he said.
Wartime stockpiles refer to military supplies planned and stored based on operational concepts to support the entire duration of combat, the defense ministry said.
Three Taiwanese airlines have prohibited passengers from packing Bluetooth earbuds and their charger cases in checked luggage. EVA Air and Uni Air said that Bluetooth earbuds and charger cases are categorized as portable electronic devices, which should be switched off if they are placed in checked luggage based on international aviation safety regulations. They must not be in standby or sleep mode. However, as charging would continue when earbuds are placed in the charger cases, which would contravene international aviation regulations, their cases must be carried as hand luggage, they said. Tigerair Taiwan said that earbud charger cases are equipped
Foreign travelers entering Taiwan on a short layover via Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport are receiving NT$600 gift vouchers from yesterday, the Tourism Administration said, adding that it hopes the incentive would boost tourism consumption at the airport. The program, which allows travelers holding non-Taiwan passports who enter the country during a layover of up to 24 hours to claim a voucher, aims to promote attractions at the airport, the agency said in a statement on Friday. To participate, travelers must sign up on the campaign Web site, the agency said. They can then present their passport and boarding pass for their connecting international
Temperatures in northern Taiwan are forecast to reach as high as 30°C today, as an ongoing northeasterly seasonal wind system weakens, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. CWA forecaster Tseng Chao-cheng (曾昭誠) said yesterday that with the seasonal wind system weakening, warmer easterly winds would boost the temperature today. Daytime temperatures in northern Taiwan and Yilan County are expected to range from 28°C to 30°C today, up about 3°C from yesterday, Tseng said. According to the CWA, temperature highs in central and southern Taiwan could stay stable. However, the weather is expected to turn cooler starting tonight as the northeasterly wind system strengthens again
Taiwan sweltered through its hottest October on record, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday, the latest in a string of global temperature records. The main island endured its highest average temperature since 1950, CWA forecaster Liu Pei-teng said. Temperatures the world over have soared in recent years as human-induced climate change contributes to ever more erratic weather patterns. Taiwan’s average temperature was 27.381°C as of Thursday, Liu said. Liu said the average could slip 0.1°C by the end of yesterday, but it would still be higher than the previous record of 27.009°C in 2016. "The temperature only started lowering around Oct. 18 or 19
RSS